


Dogs in Heaven

by mothercetrion



Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games), Mortal Kombat - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Animal Death, Gen, vent fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-09
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2020-04-23 04:38:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19143730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mothercetrion/pseuds/mothercetrion
Summary: All dogs pass away.





	Dogs in Heaven

Cassie loved dogs.

She had been raised around a mixed dog named Denver, named after the city he was adopted in. He was brown with a dark muzzle, with big floppy ears and a white chest and a long tail. He was gentle with her and always knew when to be careful with her. They could play fetch together for hours at a time. Denver loved fetch.

He loved people. If someone came over, he bounded over to them with his tail going at lightning speed. He jumped on them, but he was a puppy and didn’t know any better. Johnny was training him to know better, but after a long day, Denver jumping up on someone and kissing their face was just what was needed to make everything okay.

He had his calm moments when he wanted to have them. If Johnny wanted to relax after a long day, he could whistle for Denver and he’d come running. He was smart; despite being a few months old, he could learn new tricks and new commands within a day. Denver and Johnny could lay in a chair together and just hang out for a while.

He was the best dog. No dog could compare to Denver.

But then, one day near summer, Denver got sick.

It wasn’t an immediate sickness. It began with him just being more tired. He laid down more, wasn't up for playing with Cassie or Johnny or Sonya anymore. Johnny wondered if he was just losing some of his puppy energy; it was inevitable and happened to all dogs. So he wasn’t worried. No need to be.

But then he started throwing up. He wouldn’t eat. He wouldn’t drink. He had horrible diarrhea that eventually turned bloody. He lost weight like crazy. Cassie was in kindergarten and spent most of her days away from him; she was blissfully unaware, for a short while, that he was even sick. When he was free, Johnny took Denver to the best veterinarian he knew. He didn’t understand why he was suddenly so sick.

Parvo. It was parvo.

The veterinarian said that if he had come in sooner, he could be saved. If he had taken extra steps to get him vaccinated for it, he could be saved. But that didn’t happen. Denver probably wouldn’t make it another day. The veterinarian could keep him comfortable, but that’s all he could do.

Johnny opted to take him home, deal with the mess, and give him one final day with his family.

When Cassie came home that evening, she immediately went up to Denver and attempted to get him to play. His tail wagged, but he didn’t even move to get up. Cassie pet his head gently, like her dad told her to, and she commented on the gross smell that surrounded him. Johnny smiled painfully.

Once they let Denver get some rest, Johnny led her to their kitchen so they could eat a snack. Cassie looked up at her dad as he prepared her some food. “Daddy?”

“Yeah, baby?”

“Why’s Denver so tired?”

Johnny felt his heart shatter. He didn’t want to tell her the truth. He knew that she would be heartbroken. She may have been young, but she wasn’t dumb. She knew what dying meant. He couldn’t lie to her. She would find out the truth.

“Baby, I…” Johnny abandoned his snack-making endeavors and turned his full attention to Cassie. “I took Denver to the vet today. He… He said that Denver’s really sick. Really, really sick.”

Cassie nodded. “Is that why he’s so tired?”

“Yeah, it is.” Johnny took a hold of her small hand and gave it a squeeze.

“Is he gonna be okay?” she asked quietly.

“Cassie, baby, the vet said…” Johnny hesitated. He couldn’t lie to her. “The vet said that Denver isn’t gonna make it much longer.”

“Oh.” Cassie frowned. “So… he’s gonna die? Like Grandpa did?”

“Eventually, yeah.” Johnny felt tears prick his eyes, but he blinked them away. “We’re gonna give him a _great_ last day though, okay? You’re staying home from school tomorrow, you and I are gonna hang out with him all day long. Make him feel good and happy.”

Cassie grinned up at him. “Yeah! He’ll love it.”

Johnny found himself smiling too.

* * *

 The next day, they woke up early and brought Denver outside, so he could lay in the grass. It was warm. He loved bathing in the sun when he had the strength to get up.

Cassie and Johnny laid out there with him and dealt with the smell. Johnny could wash away whatever was left. He had the resources and the people to keep the place sanitary.

Denver didn’t move much at all, but when Cassie said his name, his tail wagged a little. It wasn’t the same energy that he used to have, but it was enough to keep a smile on Cassie’s face.

But soon enough, Denver just stared off into space. His eyes were awake, and he responded to his name, but he was… still. His tail didn’t wag. He was breathing so shallowly that it looked like he wasn’t breathing at all, but he was. Johnny could see it when he focused.

Johnny knew he was dying.

Cassie sat next to his head and stroked his fur with the gentlest of touches. She knew too. She didn’t say it out loud, but the change in her demeanor was telling enough for Johnny. He moved himself to sit next to her and put a hand on her back, pulling her into his side. Neither of them spoke. It was sensitive enough a time that words would ruin it.

Eventually, Cassie stopped petting him and put her hand on her lap. “I… I think he’s gone.”

Johnny peeked around her and noticed Denver’s chest was still. He wasn’t breathing. He was dead.

He leaned down and kissed the top of Cassie’s head. “He is. I’m sorry, baby.”

Cassie sniffled and looked up at her dad. Her eyes were filled to the brim with tears. Johnny immediately pulled her into his chest for a hug. She softly cried into his chest, and he tightened his hold on her.

They sat in silence for a few minutes as Cassie cried and Johnny tried to keep himself together. He was devastated, of course, but he knew he had to stay strong for his little girl. He had to be the rock that she needed in that time.

After a while of mourning, Johnny worked to get Denver buried in their backyard. He had hired an excavator to go ahead and dig the hole for him beneath a tree in their yard, a tree that Denver had chased Cassie around a million times. He left Cassie to herself on the back porch while he and the excavator buried Denver and covered his body in dirt. The excavator was tipped heavily for his work, and Johnny and Cassie were knelt by his grave in silence. Cassie’s face was still covered in tears.

Johnny had an arm wrapped around her shoulders and was rubbing her arm as comfortingly as he could. She hadn’t spoken since she announced that Denver had passed away. Johnny didn’t force her to talk at all. He knew that she was extremely upset.

Suddenly, she spoke up. “Do… Do dogs go to heaven?”

Johnny looked down at her in surprise. “What, baby?”

“Do dogs go to heaven?” Cassie wiped the tears off of her cheeks and took in a shaky breath. “I know that people can if they’re good… and Denver was a-a good boy.”

“Then he would.” Johnny hugged her close to his side. “He would go to heaven. That’s where he is right now, having a blast.”

Cassie looked up at him with wide eyes. “You think so?”

Johnny smiled down at her with an assured nod. “Absolutely. He’s running around in green fields, playing catch with other dogs… He met Grandpa too. He always liked dogs. He loves Denver.”

Cassie blinked, and more tears fell down her face. “He’s happy, isn’t he? No… No more sickness.”

“No more sickness.” Johnny leaned over and kissed her forehead. “He’s all… all tail wags and smiles. He’s the happiest he’s ever been.”

His eyes filled with tears, and he looked back at the burial site with a quiet sniffle. “He’s doing great. He’ll be doing great when we see him again too.”

Cassie hugged his side with a quiet cry, and Johnny pulled her close to him as tears fell down his cheeks.

He was the greatest boy around, that Denver.

**Author's Note:**

> This was written as a vent fic to help me cope with the loss of one of my dogs. I didn't proofread it. I feel a little better.  
> Rest In Peace to the most beautiful and goodest boy in the world. (1/4/19 — 6/6/19)


End file.
